The Fox and Hare
by Storms-Are-My-Nature
Summary: Rhys likes to go to the pub, as do others... G/R, J/I


**The Fox and Hare**

**I'm not so sure about this, as something seems a bit...**_**off**_**, but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same. I'd really appreciate some con-crit!**

**Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Torchwood. *cries in corner***

Every Thursday evening, Rhys Williams took himself down to the pub for a beer and a chat with various friends and acquaintances. Sometimes, Gwen would tag along and they would invariably end up in the cinema, making out in the back row like a couple of love-struck teenagers, but what Rhys enjoyed most was the down-time to just laugh and drink.

So when he ambled into the _Fox and Hare_, he certainly wasn't expecting to see Gwen's boss sitting in the corner.

For a moment, he simply gaped, before picking his jaw up off the floor and heading over.

Captain Jack Harkness looked up in surprise, clearly taken aback to see Rhys there. "Rhys," he greeted him, flashing a brilliant smile. He was still wearing that bloody coat. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What are you doing here?" Rhys demanded. "Where's Gwen?"

Jack frowned. "I sent her home," he said. "Why?"

"Well, she's not there." Rhys pointed at the other glass. "Whose glass is that?"

Jack's expression cleared. "You think Gwen's cheating on you with me?"

"That's what it looks like, yeah," Rhys said aggressively. "So you might want to watch your mouth."

"Uh – Jack?"

Rhys spun around to see a handsome man that he vaguely remembered from Gwen's work. "Who're you?"

"Ianto Jones," he said with a polite smile, offering a hand. His jeans looked suspiciously new. "Nice to see you're coping well after the shooting."

"Yeah, well," Rhys floundered. "It's nothing much, y'know. Only a bullet."

Ianto smiled, blue eyes amused. "Bet you've had worse on the pitch."

"Yeah— wait, what are you doing here?" Rhys' eyes flicked to the other beer glass and Jack's smug smile, and went bright red as understanding struck. "You're..." he gestured to Jack. "You're, well..."

Ianto raised an eyebrow, his smile distinctly cool. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Rhys shook his head, still scarlet. "No, just... wasn't expecting..." he trailed off, shrugging. "I'll just leave you alone, then." Flustered, he hurried over to the bar where Dav and Will were waiting impatiently.

"You don't want to get on the wrong side of Jones, mate," Dav warned him as Rhys swigged his beer. "He can pack one hell of a punch."

Rhys frowned. "You know him?"

Dav nodded and leant in conspiratorially. "First time he and the captain came in, couple of the lads thought it would be an idea to rough 'em up a bit. This isn't their sort of place." He shook his head, chuckling. "Man, can Jones get pissed off. We figured it was better to just leave them to themselves."

"They come here often?" Rhys asked, surprised.

"Normally only on Thursdays," Will said. "Dunno why they're here today."

"Ah." Rhys took another gulp.

"Bloke's a good man, though," Dav added. "Bought us all a pint the other week when he heard about Will and Jess."

Rhys raised his eyebrows. "What about Harkness?"

Will shrugged, his heavy eyebrows drawn together in a dark line. "Flirts with all the girls, though never means anything. Jones' got him wrapped around his little finger."

Dav snorted. "You can say that again."

Rhys risked a glance round, to see Jack and Ianto's heads bent together, obviously deep in conversation. It was hard to believe that these were the same two guys who worked for Torchwood; Ianto, when he was in his smart suit, looked far older than he did now, and Jack – even though he was still wearing his RAF coat – looked as far gone from the swaggering leader than Rhys had ever imagined he could. To be honest, they both just looked like a couple of guys enjoying each other's company.

"Y'know what?" Rhys said. "I think we should invite them over."

Dav looked at him incredulously. "You serious?"

Rhys shrugged. "Why not? You say they're nice blokes. Gwen speaks highly of them."

"You don't want to get labelled like them, mate," Will said, keeping his voice low.

"I've got Gwen, haven't I? You've got Jess, and Dav's got Kelly," Rhys said. "Don't think there's much risk of people getting confused."

Will looked unconvinced. Dav picked up his beer and downed it in one. "Well, then," he said. "Let's do this thing."

Both the Torchwood agents looked surprised to see Rhys and Dav standing in front of them – surprise which quickly turned to defensiveness, on Ianto's part.

"We were wondering if you two'd like to join us," Rhys said quickly, before Ianto could get the wrong idea. He rather liked his nose as it was, thankyou very much.

Jack scowled, and Rhys briefly wondered if he'd interrupted something he shouldn't have. "No thanks."

Ianto glared at his boyfriend, and offered Rhys a polite smile. "Actually, that'd be great," he said. "But we really have to go now."

"Right," Rhys said, feeling a bit of a fool. He didn't know what else to say. "We'll just be... over there, then."

Ianto nodded, waiting for Rhys to leave before he and Jack stood up and started for the door.

Rhys' mobile buzzed in his jacket pocket. He fished it out, and saw a text from Gwen: 'dinner home'. He finished his pint and stood up, apologising to the others, before heading out.

Outside, Rhys' eyes widened as he saw Jack and Ianto kissing under the streetlamp, their faces glowing pink from the cold and completely oblivious to the outside world. He quickly averted his gaze, and hurried to his car.

-T-

Jack pulled back, face flushed and lips swollen. He grinned dopily, resting his forehead against Ianto's. "Reckon we should have taken him up on that pint?"

Ianto smiled. "I think Gwen would be rather annoyed with us," he said. "I happen to know that she's planning a surprise for him tonight."

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Ianto rolled his eyes and kissed Jack again, chaste and brief. Snow was beginning to fall around them; just a few flakes that landed on their heads and shoulders, melting almost instantly.

Jack looked up at the dark sky, the stars obscured by the light from the streetlamp. He pulled Ianto's head down onto his shoulder and wrapped his arms around him, holding on tight. "The Hub or yours?"

Ianto smiled into his shoulder. "Ours," he said decisively, not making any attempt to move.

"I like the sound of that."

-T-

Rhys let himself into the flat and was instantly bombarded with the scent of sweet-and-sour chicken. Gwen was humming along with the radio in the kitchen, dancing around to the tune of 'Hot'n'Cold' by Katie Perry.

"Hey there," Rhys greeted her, sloughing his jacket onto the sofa and peering at the dinner table. "This is a nice surprise."

Gwen grinned at him, her hazel eyes sparkling. "Believe me, this is only the beginning..."

**All feedback much appreciated, please! *makes pleading eyes* Please?**


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